Band 5.0 IELTS Writing Task 1 Model Answer
Overall Band Score: 5.0 · Cambridge IELTS 20 · 2026-08-31
IELTS Writing Task 1 question
The first table below shows changes in the total population of New York City from 1800 to 2000. The second and third tables show changes in the population of the five districts of the city (Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island) over the same period.
Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.
Student answer (Band 5.0)
The table illustrates that below table total population of New York city change from 1800 to 2000 and it also shows change in population of the five districts of the city Manhattan, Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island over the same period.
In year 1800, The population of New York city all the districts is 60,515 and declined least and there is the district of Manhattan population is 60,515 and percentage will be 19% and other districts population less and the percentage of it shows less population of the period of this year.
In year 1900, the population of New York city is 3,437,202 and it shows the population in the past 100 years and in the district of Manhattan showed population is 1,850,093 and other districts 1,587,109 in the same period.
In the year 2000, the population of the New York city is 8,008,278 and it include much better then past 200 years and in also Manhattan population 1,538,093 and other district like Brooklyn, Bronx, Queens, Staten Island got 6,470,185 population and reached for 81% percentage.
AI examiner evaluation
| Criterion | Band |
|---|---|
| Task Achievement / Task Response | 5.0 |
| Coherence and Cohesion | 5.0 |
| Lexical Resource | 5.0 |
| Grammatical Range and Accuracy | 5.0 |
| Overall | 5.0 |
Task Achievement / Task Response — Band 5.0
The response attempts to address the task by summarizing the population data for New York City and its districts. However, the analysis is superficial and lacks a clear overview of the main trends. The student lists figures for specific years but fails to synthesize the information or make meaningful comparisons between the districts. The data interpretation is also inaccurate in places, such as the claim that the population 'declined' in 1800, which is not supported by the provided tables. The response lacks a clear summary of the overall growth trajectory, which is essential for a high-scoring Task 1 response.
Coherence and Cohesion — Band 5.0
The essay is organized into paragraphs, which helps the reader follow the chronological structure. However, the progression of ideas is mechanical and lacks logical flow. Cohesive devices are used in a very limited and repetitive way, such as the frequent use of 'and' to connect clauses. There is a lack of variety in linking words, and the referencing is sometimes unclear, making the relationship between the data points and the analysis difficult to follow at times. The overall structure is basic and lacks sophisticated transitions.
Lexical Resource — Band 5.0
The vocabulary is limited and repetitive, relying heavily on basic terms like 'population', 'change', and 'shows'. There is a lack of variety in reporting verbs or descriptive language to characterize the trends (e.g., 'increased', 'surged', 'remained stable'). Some word choices are awkward or incorrect, such as 'it include much better then past 200 years', which does not accurately convey the meaning of population growth. The range of vocabulary is insufficient to demonstrate the flexibility required for higher bands.
Grammatical Range and Accuracy — Band 5.0
The response relies on simple sentence structures, and there are frequent grammatical errors throughout. Issues include incorrect verb tenses ('the population... is 60,515' when referring to 1800), missing articles, and awkward phrasing ('there is the district of Manhattan population is 60,515'). The lack of complex sentence structures limits the grammatical range significantly. While the errors do not completely impede communication, they are frequent enough to cause the reader to pause and re-read, which prevents the response from reaching a higher band.
See this exact question answered at other band scores — the same prompt compared across bands.
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